Pregnant EMT Dies In House Fire, Family Says

TINLEY PARK, IL — An EMT who worked in Tinley Park for nearly two years died in a house fire the day before Thanksgiving, along with her unborn son, according to reports.

Melissa Lamesch, 27, of Mount Morris, Illinois, died in the house fire, which also took the life of her cat, Antonio. Lamesch's baby boy was due on Saturday, according to Facebook posts from loved ones.

"Melissa was truly an amazing person. She was so excited to meet her baby boy,"Rachel Sitkiewicz, a friend and coworker of Lamesch, told Patch.

On Saturday, Lamesch's due date, Sitkiewicz paid tribute to her friend's unborn son. "Today was the day that everyone was waiting for," she wrote. "You were finally going to make your appearance ... I know I wasn't related by blood, but I considered you my nephew and would often say hello to you before saying it to your mom. I just hope you know that so many people loved you already."

Karl Lamesch, Melissa's brother, created a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses.

"I know times and money are tough due to COVID, but any donations are greatly appreciated," Karl wrote. "Every $2 helps right now. The material possessions in the home are the least of our concerns right now. We appreciate all the offers and outreach we have received for necessities. At this point, we would like to find a nice way to remember her life and her unborn child. I know she touched so many lives."

Karl said the family would like to raise enough money to plant a tree in Melissa's honor at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, one of her favorite places to go.

"I feel like this would be a great way to honor her life. If not, I will find another good use for the money," Karl said. "We were talking about donating money in her name to the shelter where she got her cat Antonio ... Possibly buying a bunch of giraffes and donating them to children in need in honor of her baby boy. Still to be determined."

Anyone who wants to donate but would prefer to submit a check should send it to: Karl Lamesch, 1025 Misty Landing Court, Malta, IL, 60150.

Melissa worked for Trace Ambulance Inc. in Tinley Park, according to her LinkedIn profile. As of Monday morning, the GoFundMe page had raised $5,395 towards its $8,000 goal.